Nashville’s Tim Hooper (aka Mr. Hooper) uses animals and inanimate objects as characters to tell stories in his colorful, surreal paintings. The artist: Born in Nashville, Tim Hooper started drawing the Sunday comic strips at an early age and continued to teach himself to draw. In high school, he discovered underground comic books and thought being…
Texas artist Hillary Cumberworth hopes her modern ceramic vessels spark a conversation about how we are shaped by the people and moments in our lives. The artist: Born in Austin, Cumberworth grew up in the Texas capital “back when Austin was a sleepy town full of hippies, families, politics and music.” As a busy high…
Georgia’s Ashley Buchanan draws on historical images when designing her contemporary, powder-coated brass jewelry. The artist: An Atlanta native, Buchanan, graduated from the University of Georgia in 2009 with a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing. For seven years she lived in Tennessee, where she started her business, before moving back to Georgia. The company: Ashley Buchanan…
Using an old, camera-less photographic printing process, Virginia artist Jann Edmondson produces modern, blue-tinted botanical prints. The artist: She was born in Dallas into a family of artists. Her grandparents on both sides were artists. Her mother is an artist. So is her uncle and his wife. Her family lived a short time in Germany, before…
In her modular wall squares, Virginia’s Lori Katz uses clay as a canvas, taking it beyond its traditional realm of function. The artist: Born and grew up in Jersey City, NJ, often visiting museums and galleries in NYC. Katz attended George Washington University in Washington, DC, where she found a place in the ceramics studio. After…
Raleigh’s Sarah Tector treats jewelry as small-scale sculpture. Her pieces catch the eye when on the body. Or not. The company/studio: S. Tector Metals is in Raleigh, where Tector works out of her home studio. A metalsmith for 28 years, she has focused solidly on her business for the last 11 years. The artist: Born in…
In her contemporary wood sculptures, Houston-based designer Maria Bordelon uses humble materials, including cage wire and wood veneer. The artist: Bordelon was born in New Orleans, and received a BFA from Louisiana Tech University. After graduation, her interest in fine art and design took her to Houston, where she established an interior design firm and…
Atlanta artist and graphic designer Hannah Hanlon combines her lifelong curiosity for creatures in a clean style she calls contemporary scientific illustration. The artist: Originally from Concord, MA, she grew up taking private art lessons and attending a high school with an excellent arts program. Hanlon attended Boston University to study art and play D1 lacrosse on a…
A self-taught stone sculptor, Alabama’s Brooks Barrow uses old world techniques and traditional tools to make his modern and minimalist pieces. The artist: Barrow grew up Montgomery and Franklin, TN, and later served in the Marines. While living in Wisconsin, after his military stint, Barrow worked in commercial construction. Unsatisfied, he turned to making art…
South Carolina’s Laura Dargan uses fresh color combinations and irregular shapes to create visual energy in her abstract paintings. The artist: Born in Columbia, SC, Dargan grew up painting and drawing. But it wasn’t until after graduation from College of Charleston that she began to focus on art as a career. Dargan opened an art…